The Iu Mien people (Iu Mienh 勉) are a subgroup of the Yao people, which is the largest of the three major Yao groups according to the Nationalities Affairs Commission of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in China. The Iu Mien language is categorized as belonging to the Mien language family. Iu Mien populations can be found in Southern China (Hunan, Guangxi, Guizhou, Guangdong, Yunnan), Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Burma, the United States, France, and other Western nations.
Classification The origin word is derived from the Chinese language as 瑤人. Iu Mien is sounded out or pronounced according to the Iu Mien ethnic minority language pronunciation. In China, the Chinese pronunciation is Yao. In Vietnam, the Vietnamese language pronounces or sounds out the term as Dao. In Laos and Thailand in the past, speakers copied from China and called the Iu Mien ethnic minority as Yao.
But the recent Thai and Lao governments in the early 21st century call the people Iu Mien. With regard to nationality or ethnicity, the Iu Mien are officially classified in China and most of Southeast Asia as a subgroup of the Yao Nationality. As noted, in Vietnam they are referred to as the Dao.
The Yao Nationality consists of three major groups: Pan Yao, Bunu Yao, and Pingdi Yao.Saechao, David. From Mountains to Skyscrapers: The Journey of the Iu Mien. 2018. Print. The Pan Yao group is the largest in China and Southeast Asia. Most Iu Mien Americans belong to this Pan Yao group.
The Yao Nationality was officially recognized by the Chinese government in the 1950s. The newly established Chinese communist government embarked on a project of "ethnic classification" that aimed to formally acknowledge the diverse national groups within China. To accomplish this, government research teams were formed and tasked with studying common geographic regions, languages, cultural traditions, physical characteristics, and other defining factors. Upon completion of the project, the Yao or Yaozu people were officially recognized as one of the fifty-four nationalities in China (List of Ethnic Groups in China). In 1974, the Jino were officially recognized, bringing the total number of recognized nationalities to fifty-five.Luh, Shu S. The People of China (China: The Emerging Superpower), Philadelphia, PA: Mason Crest: 2014. Ebook.
The Iu Mien, along with other subgroups classified as Yao, do not refer to themselves as "Yao." The Iu Mien often refer to themselves as Iu Mien or Mien.
Ancient references Before the Tang dynasty, and possibly even earlier, references made to the Yao (Mien) included the Miao and other Southern groups. The terms "Man" (barbarians), "Nanman" (southern barbarians), "Jingman" (Chu barbarians), and "Yiren" (uplanders) are general classifications that encompassed various groups. However, as the Tang asserted its authority with the Mandate of Heaven, the term "Yao" began to take on more specific meanings, such as Moyao, Yaoren, Yaoman, and Manyao.
The state had various reasons for using these different variations, including adopting their use as geographical and administrative designations as established by earlier authorities. For instance, the term Moyao was often linked to whether or not locals were subject to corvée or military service. Additionally, the state used these terms to refer to particular groups of people.
Moyao originated from an earlier term that referred to people in the Jing region (Chu), in present-day Hunan, who were believed to be descended from Panhu. This was a mythical dog-warrior from the Panhu myth that many Yao (Mien) believe to be their forebear. The Tang officials responsible for collecting information on the periphery's peoples may have found it convenient to perpetuate this notion. In any case, the people thought to be Panhu's descendants eventually became known as the Moyao, and later the Yao.Alberts, Eli. History of Daoism and the Yao People of South China. Youngstown, NY: Cambria Press, 2006. Ebook
Panhu myth The Panhu myth suggests the existence of a once-proud and sovereign Yao kingdom. Moreover, it served as a means for the state to justify the perceived "otherness" of the Yao people, assessing them as uncivilized and fated to reside in the wilderness. But the Yao people adopted the myth to support their own autonomy; they could wander the mountains and avoid the burdens of taxation and compulsory labor.
Emperor Diku (Gaoxin) found himself at war with the State of Quanrong, led by the cunning and effective Marshall Wu. Despite dispatching numerous troops to vanquish Wu's army, they were all unsuccessful. The emperor then proclaimed that whoever could bring back the head of Marshall Wu would receive a reward of 200 grams of gold and the hand of the youngest princess in marriage. However, despite the prodigious offer, no one accepted the challenge, thanks to Marshall Wu's reputation. During the emperor's proclamation, the palace dog, Panhu, quietly accepted the challenge.
A few days later, Panhu returned to the palace holding the decapitated head of Marshall Wu. The emperor was astounded by Panhu's bravery and contemplated the story for years to come.
Years later, an elderly woman suffered from an incurable disease and an earache until a doctor removed a worm from her ear, curing her. The people placed the worm in a wine container, where it grew into a colorful dog named Panhu. The emperor did not reward Panhu with marriage to the princess, believing his daughter could not marry a dog. But the princess insisted that her father honor the pledge or risk the country's despair. Reluctantly, the emperor allowed Panhu to marry the princess.
The newlyweds settled in the southern mountains, where the princess exchanged her bright dresses for plain clothes. They lived in a cave deep in the forest, where they started a new life. However, the emperor worried about his daughter and sent envoys to the mountain to search for her and Panhu. A thick fog and a massive storm rendered the expedition unsuccessful.
Years later, the princess returned to the palace with her twelve children, who had developed their own language and could not communicate beyond the mountain. They eventually formed their own tribe and did not have to pay taxes to the government. The new tribe honored their forefather, Panhu, by designing their clothes with the emblem of a tail.Chen, Lianshan. Chinese Myths and Legends: Legends of the Universe, Deities, and Heroes. China International Press, 2009. Print.
Anecdotes about Spirits and Immortals, by Ganbao (317-420)
Ancient history
Around 300 CE, migrations of Han Chinese into Southern China led to significant cultural changes. Among these were closer relations with non-Han ethnic groups such as the Yao (Mien). During this time, the Yao (Mien) began adopting Chinese surnames. The social structure underwent a transformation, giving rise to a landowning aristocracy. These migrations accelerated during the middle of the 6th century, when Yao migrants settled in the mountain ranges of Nanlingshan, which intersects the present-day Hunan, Guangxi, and Guangdong provinces.
For centuries, the relationship between the Yao and the state was marked by frequent episodes of conflict. The Houhanshu (Book of the Later Han) referred to Southern non-Sinitic groups as Yiren, and documented many rebellions associated with Southern tribes. Moreover, tensions between the Yao and the state increased during the later Han period. The pressure to assimilate culturally or economically, or both, was not an ideal situation. As a result, many tribes decided to migrate to higher elevations and distance themselves as much as possible from the state.
Han migrations to the south coincided with, and may have catalyzed, the emergence of the Yao as a distinct ethnic group and culture. This change is reflected in the use of the term Moyao in state records during the Tang dynasty (618–906). The introduction of the term Moyao was significant in ancient Yao history and their ethnic identity, as it marked the identification of a Yao ethnic group.
Ancient Chinese texts such as the Liangshu and the Suishu used Moyao to designate a specific people, indicating that the state had gained more knowledge about the various tribal groups in the southern provinces. Chinese poets Du Fu and Liu Yuxi wrote about the Moyao inhabiting the mountains during the eighth and ninth centuries, respectively, while a Tang monk complained about their practice of slash-and-burn agriculture. These sources consistently describe the Moyao as the descendants of Panhu and residing in the Jing region (Chu), which covers present-day Hunan province.
During the Song dynasty (960–1279), more information about the Yao (Mien) became available, although variations of their name existed such as Yaoren, Yaoman, and Manyao. Several sources used the term Yaoren to refer to the Yao people, some to denote geographical administrative zones and others to describe a specific group. For example, in a passage from the Songshi (History of the Song), the state reported illegal sales of salt by the Yaoren. The passage used a negative dog marker for Yaoren and provided context that it was used to identify a geographical domain earmarked for taxation and forced labor.
Rebellion Around the turn of the 11th century, the Yao were mostly governed by hereditary headmen or chieftains who submitted to the authority of the Chinese state. They had contracts or agreements that all parties were bound to honor. But rebellions were a common occurrence. From the Song dynasty through the Qing dynasty (1644–1912), there was significant tension between the Yao and the state. Numerous rebellions were documented in official records, indicating continuous uncertainty in Yao-occupied territories.
Prior to the Qing dynasty, there were several instances of Yao rebellions. For instance, during the reign of Song Emperor Renzong (1023–1064), official records documented three uprisings: one in Guangdong in 1035, another in Hunan in 1043, and a third in the Guangzhou region in 1281. Between 1316 and 1331, the Yao launched over forty uprisings against the Yuan dynasty (Mongol). The Ming dynasty (1368–1644) also faced unrest and was forced to suppress a century-long Yao revolt that began in 1371. The hostilities only abated after three imperial armies were deployed.
In 1832, a large-scale rebellion, known as the Yao Rebellion, erupted among the Yao people in the border regions of Hunan, Guangxi, and Guangdong, which had significant implications for the Qing dynasty. Due to corruption of local triads and valuable resources such as salt being cut off, Yao leaders organized thousands of combatants. The rebellion ultimately led to a resolution involving concessions and agreements from both sides.
Additional historical records (translated from Chinese)
Iu Mien History consists of three levels:
The first: upper age (zaangc yunh zaapc -zaangv) consisted of 3,864 years of the life cycle. The second: middle age (zong yunh zaapc-zaangv) consisted of 1,800 years of the life cycle. The third level lower age (haac-yunh zaapc-zaangv) consisted of 120 years of the life cycle.
Today's world (mouh-gitv ninh gen) consists of 60 years of the life cycle. The Iu Mien considers 60 years as one generation of life. No record was documented in the three levels of the life cycle where Iu Mien lived.
The Iu Mien believe the beginning of their civilization started with King Pan or Bienh Hungh. They believed he created the universe, earth, sky, and human beings, the creator of the world.
Yong Ziuh and Ming administrations